Bed-like casket



C. BORCHARD BED LIKE CASKET May 2, 1933.

' Filed-March 51, 1952 (br/ 3ora ATTORNEY-5 Patented May 2, 1933 UNHTEE STATES CARL BORGHARID, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN BED-LIKE CASKET 3 Application filed March 31, 1932. Serial No. 602,141. I

This invention relates to caskets.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a casket having movable walls which in one position form a closure for the casket and which in another position depend from the base thereof to form drops or spreads upon which coverings and blankets may be spread, the casket, when its parts are in the latter position, giving the appearance of a bed rather than a casket.

Still further objects of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the same and from the appended drawing, in which- Figure 1 shows, in side elevation, a casket having the parts in closure forming position;

Fig. 2 shows the same in partially broken away plan view;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the casket with the parts arranged to form drops or spreads and to give the casket a bed-like appearance;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section as if on the line 44 of Figure 3; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section as if on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the casket, which is shown without coverings, linings, etc., for purposes of clarity, includes an elongated base to which are fixedly secured upwardly projecting rails 11 and ends 12, these parts and the base being fixed to one another so as to be relatively immovable. Hingedly connected to the rails 11 on lines 15, forming upper edges thereof, are side walls 16, these extending between the ends 12 and cooperating with the rails 11 to form complete side walls for the casket.

Hingedly connected to the side walls 16 on lines 17 which form their upper edges, are cover plates 18, meeting in a line 19. These cover plates, when in the position of Figure 5, cooperate with the side walls to form a complete enclosure for the casket.

The hinges at and 17 while shown as of K0 the piano hinge type may well be of the strap or butt type and for the purposes of this invention it matters not what type of hinge is used, so long as the hinges permit free movement of the hinged parts, that is, to say, movement of the hinged parts 16 and 18 from the position of Figure 5, wherein'they form enclosures, to the position of Figure 4 wherein they form spreads or drops for the casket.

7 As shown in Figure 4, when the side Walls and cover plates are dropped, the-side walls overlie the rails and the side edges'of the base, and the cover plates, depending from the side walls, partially conceal thepedestal 20, indicated diagrammatically, upon which the casket is supported.

It will be observed that in use the casket is opened up to theposition of Figure 4 and suitably draped withfiuffy silks which assist in creating a bed-like illusion. The corpse is laid upon these silks and upon pillows,etc. as is the custom, and-additional silks'are laid over the corpse and draped over the spreads or drops formed by the side walls and cover plates, these silks having the appearance of comforters, etc., used to cover sleeping inn" dividuals. V D

An important detail which is preferably, though not necessary, used, is the bed post or bow end formation provided by projections 22 formed on the rails 11, as shown. These M projections when the side walls are in closure forming position interfit with cutouts on the side walls and cooperate with the latter to create a complete enclosure. However, when the side walls are dropped the projections 22 give the appearance of bed posts or bow ends and assist in creating a bed-like appearance to the open casket.

It will also be observed that while two narrow cover plates 18 are shown it is possible, to construct the casket with but one wide plate, connected to one side wall.

Now having described the invention and a preferred embodiment of the same, it will be understood that the scope thereof is to be limited not to the embodiment which happens to be shown, but only by the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. A bed-like casket comprising an el0n-. gated base, elongated side walls hingedly connected to the upper edge portion of said base, a cover plate hingedly connected to a free edge portion of one of said side walls, and bed-like ends fixedly secured to said base and extended upwardly beyond the horizontal plane of said plate when in closed position, said side walls and cover plate being of lesser length than the distance between said ends, whereby the same may be folded between 10 said ends, and said ends shaped and extended upwardly beyond the horizontal plane of said cover plate when said plate and side walls are in closed position, to simulate the head and foot boards of an ordinary bed.

2. A bed-like casket comprising an elongated base having side walls of limited width in height to simulate the side rails of an ordinary bed, elongated side Walls hingedly connected-to the upper edge port-ions of said side walls of. said base, cover plates hingedly connected to the free edges of said hinged side walls, said hinged side walls being of greater width than the width of said side walls of said base, bed-like ends fixed in an upright position to said base and spaced apart a distance equal to the length of said cover plates and hinged side walls to permit said plates and side walls to be folded to position between said ends said ends being extended upwardly beyond the plane of said plates in folded position and shaped to simulate the head and foot boards of an ordinary bed, and means upon the inner faces of said ends to support and hold said hinged sides and plates in folded position between said ends. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CARL BORCHARD. 

